I read the difference between Theravada and Mahayana and found out Theravada got 18sects. I am wondering what are the differences between each sects and why it existed? But not just one whole Theravada?

Why is it in some mahayana books they wrote mahayana is Great vehicle but theravada is small vehicle. And I think I watched a show called journey to the west, from china that show was produced. The monk Táng-sānzàng was told by the guan yin boddhisatva that to able to preach the world and to help them liberate from samsara, he need to acquire the Great vehicle teachings but not small vehicle teachings.

unspoken wrote:Why is it in some mahayana books they wrote mahayana is Great vehicle but theravada is small vehicle. And I think I watched a show called journey to the west, from china that show was produced. The monk Táng-sānzàng was told by the guan yin boddhisatva that to able to preach the world and to help them liberate from samsara, he need to acquire the Great vehicle teachings but not small vehicle teachings.

This might not be the best forum in which to pose that question, since this is a Theravada group and Theravadins don't subscribe to this idea of there being a "small vehicle" and a "great vehicle".

The short answer, anyway, is that Mahayana Buddhists believe the Buddha taught another set of teachings later in his career, and that these teachings go beyond the earlier ones. It's all explained in the Lotus Sutra. Or the Heart Sutra, if you like brevity.

---The trouble is that you think you have time------Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe------It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---

In reading the scriptures, there are two kinds of mistakes:One mistake is to cling to the literal text and miss the inner principles.The second mistake is to recognize the principles but not apply them to your own mind, so that you waste time and just make them into causes of entanglement.

---The trouble is that you think you have time------Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe------It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---